The imposition of tariffs by the United States on Mexico could have a negative impact on the country's electronic commerce, especially if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on low-value shipments that previously entered the United States tax-free. Pierre-Claude Blaise, CEO of the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO), pointed out that the macroeconomic context of Mexico will affect electronic commerce, just as it will other industries.
"Although there are many favorable factors for electronic commerce in 2025 and the coming years, we obviously also have macroeconomic factors that will affect electronic commerce just like other industries," Blaise expressed. He lamented being unable to predict the impact that Trump's measures will have on the sector. Since February, the U.S. president has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25% on low-value shipments, which would directly impact the prices of products sold on platforms like Amazon, eBay, Mercado Libre, and other digital marketplaces.
Despite this possible impact, the AMVO executive considered that electronic commerce in Mexico has growth opportunities, with a historic double-digit growth rate over the last 6 years, representing 14.8% of sales globally. Mexico ranks 11th among countries with the highest contribution to retail sales, with an average ticket size close to one thousand pesos and expectations of continued growth.
In 2024, the value of e-commerce in Mexico was nearly 790 billion pesos, an increase of 16.3% compared to 2023, with a growth of more than 20% in sales value. The penetration of digital buyers in Mexico in 2024 was 84%, a figure higher than that of countries like China and India, and well above the global average of 60%, according to Daniela Orozco, director of Intelligence and Market Studies at AMVO.
